While regulatory and safety standards are critical for the health of your team, they’re not created out of thin air. It takes a host of interconnected parties to spot issues and develop the proper solutions.
For proper decision making, regulation, and enforcement, OSHA relies on the input of several committees from various industries.
As such, one of the four major committees involved is the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH).
The ACCSH is a 15-man continuing-advisory committee, appointed by the Assistant Secretary, and tasked with setting construction standards and policies affecting federally financed or assisted construction.
Additionally, 29 CFR 1912.3 provides that OSHA shall consult with the ACCSH regarding the setting of construction standards under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).
The next meeting of the ACCSH is slated for March 1, 2023, 9 am to 4 pm, EST, and is open to the public. In addition, comments and requests to speak are due by February 23 (more on this, below).
Let’s take a look at what’s on the agenda, and how you can make your voice heard.
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Agenda and activities for the upcoming ACCSH meeting
So, what topics will the upcoming ACCSH meeting cover? Let’s break it down.
- Remarks from the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health on agency updates
- Updates from OSHA’s Directorate of Construction on the construction industry
- “Hard Hats to Helmets” Presentation by the American Society of Concrete Contractors
- Update on the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction
- ACCSH Workgroup reports
- Public comment period
Before the event takes place, there will also be additional ACCSH workgroups meeting on February 28, both in-person and virtually. These include:
– The Emerging and Current Issues Workgroup (9 am – 11 am)
– The Infrastructure Workgroup (12noon to 2 pm)
– The Education, Training and Outreach Workgroup (2:15 pm to 4:15 pm)
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How to participate in the upcoming ACCSH meeting
If you’re interested in participating in the ACCSH meeting, you have two options: attending either in-person, or virtually.
In-person Attendance
To register and attend in-person, you’ll need to contact Gretta Jameson at grettah@dol.gov, by February 23. However, only the first 25 people who register to attend physically will be granted access to the venue. The full committee and workgroup meetings will be held in Conference Room C-5320, Room 6, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210.
You may also submit comments and requests to speak to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket Number OSHA-2023-0002, by February 23. Remember to include the docket number on all submissions.
Virtual Attendance
If you would like to attend the ACCSH meeting virtually, details on how to participate are included the docket, and made available on the ACCSH webpage. Make sure you read the Federal Register notice for submission details.
No matter who you are, or your role in your company, whether you’re an employer or employee, your voice deserves to be heard.
Your input can go a long way to ensure the safety and health of workers across the country.
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